Protest at UNILAG over rustication

Movements in and out of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, were yesterday disrupted by protesting students who were demanding for immediate and unconditional reinstatement of the 11 executive members of the institution’s students union.

The protesters, who defied the heavy rain, barricaded the university main gate hindering students and visitors from entering the premises. Other demands include a call to lift the “illegal ban on the UNILAG Students Union” and “improvement in welfare and conducive learning environment.”

Besides, the students at the protest led by the leadership of the Lagos State Chapter of the Joint Campus Committee (JCC) of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the Alliance of Nigerian Students against Neoliberal Attacks (ANSA), asked the management of the institution to retract the indemnity forms it mandated students to sign and stop attacks on activists and unionism.

Meanwhile, Deputy Registrar, Information Unit of the institution, Toyin Adebule, in a telephone conversation with The Guardian, denied that the protesters are UNILAG students.

According to him: “The protesters are activists and rusticated students who lost their case in court. Now that they have lost in court, they put up the jankara protest. We have issued a press statement to that effect informing the public that the University of Lagos students are not protesting. The gathering outside the gate consists of rusticated students and allies. They have challenged the university in court and the case has been struck out.”